Caring For Your Stainless Steel Housewares

Many food hygienists would tell you that using stainless steel houseware is one of the cleanest surfaces you can use for preparing food. There are many reasons for this:

One: It doesn’t have those pores or small cracks that can be found when you use utensils such as wood. And we all know what happens to these gaps when bacteria, dirt, or (god forbid) organisms are allowed to lurk inside.

Two: It does not affect the flavor of your food because it doesn’t respond to acidic foods, even if you’re cooking them.

Three: It doesn’t rust or chip away easily, which makes it one of the most durable things to use for heavy-duty cooking.

Four: It can actually make you healthier because it contains small traces of iron.

Five: They have a very long life expectancy, and it can last to over a hundred years if you use it properly.

Hopefully, this has convinced you to start a love affair with your stainless steel houseware. Here are some things to keep in mind when using them in the kitchen:

PRECAUTIONS

Stainless steel houseware can react to food or liquid that’s left inside for a long time. Make sure to place your food in another container.

Too much heat can cause these things to develop hot spots, especially when you use a stovetop cookware. It’s also advisable to use low-to-moderate heat to prevent food from sticking to the steel.

Also, these kinds of houseware can be very sensitive to ammonia, bleach, and abrasives–so it’s important not to use them for cleaning. Try non-abrasive cleansers like Bar Keepers Friend or Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser to clean them, instead. Also use nylon-nets and plastic brushes instead of metal scouring pads.

CLEANING YOUR STAINLESS STEEL HOUSEWARE

1. Have you ever tried looking at the bottom of a pan to see those nasty-looking, white, powdery remains sticking out like a sore thumb? That’s calcium residue. You can get rid of it by mixing in 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar and boiling them inside the pot. Let them cool, and wash the pots again with soap and hot water.

2. Burnt food can be hard to deal with, but try filling the pan with warm water and liquid soap, then cover it for an hour. After that, boil it for around 15 minutes, cool it, and scrub thoroughly with a nylon scouring pad. Continue this procedure until all the burnt traces are gone from the pan.

3. Have you ever wondered why a lot of professional cooks have dish towels tucked in their waists? Aside from using them to wipe their hands from time to time, they use it to clean their stainless steel knives and other houseware to prevent food residue from sticking and drying on the steel’s surface.

You can make your love affair with stainless steel housewares enduring for many years. All it takes is a bit of patience, effort, and the right cleaning tools to make it last a lifetime.